Sense & Sensibility

We watched Sense & Sensibility tonight. Victoria’s been dying for me to watch it with her since she got it on DVD. Being a guy, I have a genetic predisposition to run when someone mentions something that, let’s face it, is mostly considered to be a story that primarily women get all wobbly over. Not that I don’t appreciate a great story. I just have to put up at least a symbolic resistance. It’s in the rule-book.
Needless to say, and probably much to Victoria’s surprise, I loved the movie. I’m sure I read this as a kid, and I’m pretty certain there’s a copy of it up in the attic somewhere, but if I did I certainly don’t remember it. Maybe through the years I’ve gotten it confused with Pride & Prejudice.
The story is rich and well acted. At first I thought Emma Thompson was a bit old for the role of Elinor, but that’s a small quibble that’s forgotten within a few minutes into the film. If you don’t know, Sense and Sensibility revolves around sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, their quests for suitable husbands, and their relationship with each other. Like Jane Austen’s other works, the story is dense and takes time to play out, weaving an involved tapestry around the characters and their lives. By the end of the movie you feel like you know the characters as people, and you’re emotionally invested in the outcome. It’s not just watching the outcome of a movie.
Of course, the cast might have had a lot to do with the richness of the movie. In addition to Emma Thompson, you’ll find Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman, not to mention a host of lesser known but well-skilled actors. This isn’t some cheap Hollywood knock-off intended to cash in on the recent Jane Austen craze (it pre-dates it), but rather is most likely one of the excellent movies that started it. Of course, that’s my opinion. I have no idea. All I know is that it was a good movie, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, and in spite of my determined male fidgeting, it was an experience that I’m glad to have added to my collection.